Page 5 of Fortress of the Soul

She takes another sip of coffee. “Look, we don’t have long. It’s two weekends away. You’re going to be there anyway as my babysitter… why can’t we just pretend for one weekend?”

“It’s bodyguard to you, and no, we can’t just pretend for the weekend. It means sharing a room, for one. More importantly, I think you may want to get better friends if this is how they operate.”

She gives me an indignant look. “It’s not how they operate. Like I said, important people will be there. I have a headache just thinking about it. Don’t you want to help me, Enzo?”

“Of course, but I’m not doing that.”

“Am I that grotesque?” She bats her eyelashes. “That you can’t even pretend?

I shake my head. “That’s not it at all.” My cell rings, and I pull it out of my back pocket to read the text but don’t reply. “I’ve got to go.”

As I stand, so does she, her eyes searching mine for any signs that I may be about to cave.

Which I’m not.

Being manipulated by Valentina isn’t high on my priority list. She’s lucky I even agreed to go to this thing. I’m sure if I’d put up enough of a fight, Angelo would’ve sent Darko instead.Darko is Angelo’s head soldier and coordinates the other footmen that work for the Medicis.

“We’ll talk about this later,” I mutter. I’m hoping she will forget this nonsense once and for all.

She gives me a sweet smile, indicating that this isn’t over, and I have no doubt in my mind that she will not let it rest. “Thanks for the coffee,” she says with a wink.

I shake my head and give her an exasperated look. “Anytime,” I reply, tucking my cell back into my pocket.

As I leave, Bianca walks through the door. “Hello, Enzo,” she says, sizing me up as she gives Valentina a big grin.

Even though she’s cute and flirty, she’s also Valentina’s best friend. Meaning; we’re also in the friend zone.

“Hello, Bianca.”

“What are you doing here?” She gives Valentina a suggestive eyebrow wiggle that I choose to ignore.

“He brought us some coffee and caramel pretzels,” Valentina interrupts before I can get a word in edgewise.

She flashes me a grin. “Such a gentleman.”

They all think this, but neither have spent any time with me in the bedroom. I can assure her and anyone else, I’m no fucking gentleman when it comes to sex.

I give her a wink, then turn to Valentina. “Text me the details for the venue. I want to check it out before we leave. I assume it’s black tie?”

Bianca’s eyebrows raise, but wisely, she says nothing.

“You assume correctly. Wouldn’t it be cool if we were matchy-matchy? I could help pick out your tie.” She knows she’s pushing me, but this is what she does.

I shake my head, my mouth pressed into a firm line. “You get my presence, that’s it.” I point at her. “I mean it.”

She smiles sweetly as I give Bianca a chin lift when I leave.

I walk to my car without looking back. She’s out of her mind if she thinks I’m going anywhere pretending to be her boyfriend, and she’s already picking out our outfits.

More to the point, I’ve no idea why my cock is having a party when I’ve been running into her for her entire goddamn life.

It’s not like I haven’t noticed the woman she has become, sincethathas always been hard to avoid. But I can’t say I’ve exactly thought about her in terms of anything more. For one, Angelo would have my balls on a platter.

In fact, knowing him, he would probably have everything on a platter.

Valentina may just give me enough rope to hang us both.

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